STORRS, Conn. – The Villanova University field hockey team will play a pair of road games this weekend, taking on No. 8-ranked UConn on Friday (Oct. 4) at the George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex before facing Penn on Sunday (Oct. 6) and Ellen Vagelos Field in Philadelphia. Friday's game will begin at 1 p.m. and will be streamed live on FloSports, while Sunday's game is slated for a noon start and can be streamed on ESPN+.
 
The Wildcats enter the weekend at 6-4 (2-0 BIG EAST), having won four of their last five games. The 'Cats are tied for first in the BIG EAST with the eighth-ranked Huskies. Friday's matchup for the top spot in the conference will be the 44th between the two schools, with UConn leading the all-time series, 36-7.
 
Villanova defeated UConn in 2023 (Sept. 29) by a score of 2-1. Colleen Finnan and Sabine de Ruijter each scored for the Wildcats as head coach Joanie Milhous earned her 250th career win. It was the Blue and White's first win over the Huskies in 17 years.
 
UConn enters Friday at 9-1 (2-0 BIG EAST) following a win over Delaware on Sunday (2-1 OT, Sept. 29). The Huskies have risen to No. 8 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll after winning each of their last four games. UConn is led by freshman Juul Sauer who has scored a team-best nine goals and posted four multi-goal games.
 
The Quakers head into the weekend at 1-7 (0-2 Ivy League), with their lone win coming against Temple (3-1, Sept. 13). Four of the Quakers' eight opponents this season have been nationally ranked, including current consensus No. 1 North Carolina. Penn has played two mutual opponents of the Wildcats, falling to both Saint Joseph's (5-1, Sept. 15) and Drexel (2-1, Sept. 22). Junior Julia Ryan leads the Quakers with three goals and three assists.
 
Several Wildcats are on the cusp of reaching career milestones ahead of this weekend's slate. Fifth-year forward Meghan Mitchell is one goal away from becoming the third Wildcat in history to score 50. She is also an assist or goal away from breaking the tie with Nicole Dimaggio for second-most career points (122). Meanwhile, senior Anne Drabbe is currently tied for fourth in career assists (31). She is one assist away from moving into second place on the leaderboard, and five away from tying the all-time leader at Villanova, Lauren Campanelli.